MichiganChic

@@BigGirlPanties I really like that idea, and might do it, too. I have not bought any candy, because I don't want it in the house until the last minute. Before I was sleeved, I would buy it "for the kids" and have to keep rebuyng it until Halloween. Even now, I don't think I would stop at just one, and so was thinking about just skipping it all together, though I don't want to be a Halloween scrooge, lol. Most sugary carbs have the ability to send me into a downward spiral that just makes me mad at myself, so eating them isn't worth the subsequent weight gain and irritation from losing control.

@@Ms skinniness good to see you again! It's very easy to gain a pound or two, isn't it? Life does have a way of derailing - sorry you are stressed. I have never stopped tracking because I haven't technically ever gotten to goal, (even though I know I'm in maintenance for now) and I can gain as much as 4 or 5 pounds in a weekend. I agree with your case manager - I need to eat about 900 to lose, and I gain at anything over 1400. Makes me a little irritated some days! However, that knowledge is power - power over obesity. Good for you for getting control of it before it got control of you. I agree with the others. It's much easier to lose 5 or 10 than it is the weight we started with. Lucky for you that you can easily eat 1000 calories a day! I really have to work to not go over that. In the grand scheme of things, you have really rocked that sleeve! 3 years out, still doing great! That little gain will be gone in no time

It's just an excel spreadsheet I created. I did it for my own records, and I'm so glad I did. I still weigh every day, and now I average the month. I've been in maintenance for about 6 months, and on days when my weight seems to be rising, I get less concerned because I can see that on average, I'm within the same 1-3 pounds.

@RJ'S/beginning - that guys sounds like a jerk. You have strength and do not need the validation of another human for your dignity. That comes from within, and you have it! I always remember people can only make me feel bad if I let them, so I usually don't let them. However, if they try, especially if its in the context of a medical professional or other service industry, I don't let them get away with trying. I really make it my business to never be anyone's victim, though that's hard to remember when you feel beaten down. In the US, there are ways to complain that will at least get them a slap on the wrist. Not sure what it's like in Canada, but here, you could go to the hospital and make a stink. At the very least, he'll feel the pain of being called out, and maybe think twice before doing that to another patient. If it happens often enough, they'll get rid of him. Believe me, this was not isolated for that individual. He probably treats everyone like that. People only act like that because they can get away with it. I feel it's my duty to stop them, lol. You might feel better if you try

Don't feel bad - I took LOTS of Norco for about 2 weeks. I had a lower body lift and brachioplasty, and it was by far the most miserable I've ever been. I had to call and get 2 refills. Some people don't think it's that painful, but it was for me. I even had a pain pump for the first 3 days. I wondered if I was just a baby or something was abnormal, but I don't think so. I do know some people have far less pain, but I think more pain is the norm. A double hernia probably explains your pain. Take your drugs and relax

To me, the fundamental issue here is that just because someone asks, they are NOT entitled to know the answer. I find it absurd that it could be regarded as not truthful to not give out information just because someone asks! When asked the question about how I lost the weight, I'll usually respond "with a lot of hard work" and change the subject. I don't want to get into the details of my personal health and weight loss. That's my right. To imply we don't have the right to withhold our personal information from either nosy or well meaning people is just wrong. I think the people who have responded here have given a myriad of reasons why they don't want to tell, and blaming that behavior for somehow causing or adding to the shaming of obesity is missing the mark. That implication only serves to further shame.

My surgeon's plan is no carbonated beverages, ever. I adhere to that. I'm not sure if it actually would do any harm, like stretch your stomach, but since it adds no nutritional value, and I agree, it's "poison", I just don't ever drink it. I've read plenty of articles about how your body thinks it is sugar and processes it as if it was sugar, causing insulin spikes, so it's not worth it to me. It's one of the rules of bariatric surgery that I just follow.

I include all liquids in my daily requirement.

The good news for you is that you have the power to stop it, TODAY, with or without weight loss, surgery or not. You don't have to engage in this crazy dialogue. Once YOU change the rules, she's going to be on her own with this sickness. I imagine things may get worse before they get better. You both seem to have this dynamic that puts you a peg below her based on weight, as if somehow that's justified. She might try to find some other way to keep you "in your place", but don't let her. Just move on, and focus on how great you are going to feel, and how much improved your life will be. And trust me, it's gong to be better in ways you don't even know about!

Immediately before and for the first 6 weeks after surgery, I stopped drinking coffee. I didn't have headaches or other withdrawals, but I did miss it. My surgeon said I could have it after 6 weeks, as long as I was careful not to take Vitamins at the same time. Sorry, I don't have tips for giving it up easier! Even though my surgeon would have preferred no coffee until at least 4 months, and my dietitian would have preferred never, I never intended to do either, and discussed that with them. Now, I'll have a cup first thing in the morning, then one on the way to work, then usually one when I get home in the afternoon. On the weekends I'll drink a little more. I make sure to take my vitamins at bedtime so absorption isn't impacted. Since I don't need a Calcium supplement, that makes it easier. I LOVE a cup of black coffee, first thing in the morning. It gets me out of bed some days. My morning routine is that cup of black coffee while catching up on Bariatric Pal I enjoy that cup in the afternoon, too. I've been having pumpkin spice with pumpkin coffee creamer. It's a bit of a sweet treat. The 35 calories for the creamer is worth it to me, because it curbs the early evening grazing I'm inclined to do.

Ummm.....that's just not normal. Sorry your sister is that way. If someone EVER called me that, it would be the last time. You deserve better.

Your goal weight it your decision, and likely, you won't decide until you get closer to goal. It's hard to know how your body will respond, and what it will "allow", and how you will feel, and you'll look. One thing for sure - 250 is not too skinny for a person who is 5'4"! I'm also 5'4", and at my weight of around, I look pretty normal. I'm shocked by that because the number seems too high, and I would still like to lose another 10-20 pounds, but I'm fairly stuck here. So, I don't know what motivates your sister, but I wouldn't engage in a dialogue with her about this. If she has your best interests at heart, she will be there for you and support you. If she has some need for you to be heavier than her, then she's not the best support person for you. Either way she is your sister, and arguing with her over YOUR weight seems like a waste of time to me. Leave her out of the equation and achieve your goals as you see fit! Who knows - you may inspire her.

It is highly dishonest and unethical to say you lost weight with an herbal supplement and have monetary gain from it. It is not dishonest to not disclose your PHI. It's not every WLS person's J.O.B. to inform the public when they ask how they lost weight, so they don't get a false sense of what is possible. And it IS possible to lose weight without WLS. I do agree that the more prevalent information is about WLS, it may eliminate some of the shame associated with obesity and WLS. We've seen that over the years with HIV and also with mental illness. Generally, though, much of it has been the medical community, media, and advocates for those people who raised the awareness. It wasn't just people with HIV telling people they had had HIV that took away the shame and stigma. If people in the WLS surgery community want to advocate, by all means, they should. Not everyone is obligated.

Just because someone asks, they are not entitled to my personal health information. It is a PERSONAL decision about whether to tell or not. If people are embarrassed or ashamed, then that's their personal decision and they are entitled to their privacy, for whatever reason they choose. For those who feel they should educate the world and share their stories, more power to them. That's also a personal choice. Just curious - why is there a need for people to "admit" their feelings? Why should they be obligated to tell? People in this country are very private about health information for many reasons. That's why there are such strict laws protecting it - HIPAA. The law says health care workers can't know or share information unless it's for care or treatment, so why would we as individuals feel it's our obligation to answer nosy people's questions about our weight loss? I chose not to tell many people. I didn't want people watching me and judging what I was eating, how I was succeeding/failing, or generally being too interested in my weight and diet. I don't regret that decision. Of course, my picture is on here, so I think if anyone came across it, they'd recognize me, so I'm not all that incognito!

Yep...I'll be buying my candy that day! I've been known (pre-surgery) to eat a bag of it while passing it out. Not proud, but just sayin.

My post op diet was a little less restrictive than yours, but still, it was pretty restrictive. I also had to go on a two week liquid pre-op diet, so by the time I was 4 months post op, I was really sick of eating the things I could have! It was a total chore, and not worth it most of the time. I kept my calories around 600 -800 for the first 6 months or so. I tried not to be short-sighted about it, and to follow the program to the letter. I really was hard, but I knew that it would pass. I felt like it was worth it, though, because I had a lot of weight to lose, and it came off better than it ever has. I'm happy I did that, because after the first year, my weight loss slowed, and now it's a total struggle to get any off at all. I know everyone has a different diet, different body, and different outcomes, so we each have to find our own way. My best advice it to just hang in there, do the best you can with it, and this too, shall pass. It really is only a very short time!

I'm in southeast Michigan. Can't recommend anyone in your area, Sorry.

Me too. Where are you?

This graph shows my first year. Some months were better than others.

Oh and I forgot to say - Great job on your loss!! Awesome!

There are unflavored Protein powders you can get to add to food to increase your intake. You can also buy protein enriched Soups and other foods online. Google it, or look on the Bariatric Choice website. They have lots of things to choose from. I eat greek yogurt, turkey lunch meat, string cheese, nuts, and things like that to get my protein in, along with a Protein shake every day.

I started in a 24/26 and a 2 or 3 XL top. I lost about 50 pounds before they got too loose to wear. The smaller I became, the faster the sizes dropped. Now, I will drop a size if I lose 10 pounds. I'm in an 8 or 10, and small or medium top.

Agreed. What's worse, is I find I don't always have self control to pass things up. It's very hard to have the will power day in and day out....and it get's old. It's hard not to have "dieter's fatigue". I just do the best I can, but it's frustrating when you realize it's the little choices that you make day in and day out that can make or break us, and that's NEVER changing. Then I look at my beautiful small clothes and remember how much better I feel, and I am consoled

Do a search on this topic - someone else asked a similar question last week and there were pages of responses. But, to answer your question, I also considered both. I wanted the sleeve, but then the doc said I'd lose more with the RNY, so I signed up for that even though he said I could do either. A couple days before surgery, I changed my mind and went with the sleeve. I've been happy with it, and I am totally without any sort of symptoms (dumping, GERD,vomiting, etc). I love that. Sometimes I think I could lose the last few pounds easier if I had the bypass, but really, I'm happy with my decision.

For me, it's follow the "rules". All day, every day. It's what we do over the long haul that will make the difference. I'm human, I slip up once in a while. I'm human, so I decide to "go off the rails" (read eat what I know I shouldn't, and too much of it). However, I don't let that get out of hand. It's usually not more than for a meal, and never more than a day. I can do a lot of damage in a short time. And probably the number one thing for me is to be honest with myself. I track every bite, even when I'm off the rails. I log it all, and face it. Usually that's enough to reign me in. A key ingredient to my success has been to look at the big picture, and just keep on doing what we know we need to do, day in, day out. It's why I always failed before - I couldn't sustain the change. One other thing I forgot to mention earlier - I do take ibuprofen every day, and have since I was about 2 months post op. That was one of the primary reasons I chose this surgery. My doc says RNY patients are predisposed to ulcers, but sleeve patients are not. It's one reason I chose the sleeve. I do know there are differing thoughts about that, but I also know that many sleeve patients take NSAIDS without difficulty.